In response to Ronan O'Gara's words from the oval office...

THE calls and texts weren’t long arriving last Friday. “Your buddy O’Gara this morning — ” (I always like that description of anyone who ever wrote for a paper anywhere, in any era: ‘your buddy’) “— what is he at?”

Pause. “I mean, he played for Bishopstown. Did you know that?”

Ronan’s column in last Friday’s sports supplement mused about the possible benefits for Irish rugby if those playing Gaelic football and hurling were available to the IRFU.